Coaster.



C. H. JOHNSON.

COASTER.

M PLICATION nLEn 056.1. Isle.

Patentedhg. 6, 1918.

In een Zan @wles l0/111.90.

wMMMf/(zfi Jigs UNITED STATES 'PATENT Ormea f cnantnsn. JOHNSON, or NEwToNgr/Iassacnusnrrs.

coAs'rER., 'Y

`Specification `ofyletters Patent. 4 y Patcnted Aug 69 191728.?y

Application led December 1, 1916. Serial No. 134,233.

To all-07mm t may conc-ern: g

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. JoHNsoN,

a citizen of the V.United States, residing at aware,` to vprovide means by which the hansA Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have inventedl new and useful Improvements 'in' Coasters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to yimprovements in coasters or hop cars; lMore particularlyfiv it relates' to devices in which j two wheels Varranged tandem'support a platform closek to thepground, with room 'for 'a person to" stand thereon,fthere being'alsoa handle for I convenience insteering, which maybe effected by merely vtipping the platform as explained in the U. S. Letters Patent tov LukeA S. Murdock, VNo. 1,056,3577o'f March 18, 1913. The invention relates especially to improvements affectingy theste'ering and to vimportant details of constructionin the relation of the handle and platform to the wheels, to each other and tothe swivel, forv shown in the accompanying drawings, in

whichr# A Figure lis a sideielevation of embodying theinvention; Y

Fig. 2 Yis' a front elevation of the same; and"A Fig. 3 is-a plan of the same. Referring to `the drawings, and bearing in mind the principle of automatic-.steering set forth in the said. Murdock-patent, the principal parts of the devicelare shown by the platform 10; the relatively high rear.

wheel 11 with axis fixed with respect to the platform; and the equally high front wheel 12, mounted as a caster wheel whose normally horizontal axle 13 is carried by a fork 14 held and swiveled a little forward of the axle by a spindle 15 extending' vertically or y nearly so. VPrior to the .Murdock invention it was thought necessary,`so far as I am apparatus dle might turn the front wheel tothe right -or left for steering. This involved provi# sion of a steering head and direct connec.

Vtion between the handle and the front wheel fork. The said Murdock invention discloses howlthehandlemay be made rigid with respect to4 the platform 10. In the presentinzventiona handle 16 thatk is mounted rigidly with respect to the platform 10 is preferably employed, althoughk by reason of certain features it may-be possible. to dispense with the handle entirely if desired. This handle 16, which may have a cross .piece 17 at its top, is secured rigidly at its bottoni-to a stiff metallic bow 18, which, springing rigidly from the forward end of the platform 10, is outrigged forward of it and is curved up and over the steering wheel to a point forward of its axle. The handle is illustrated as standing approximately in line lwith the axle,'vertically over iit, but it may stand inclined toward the rear if considered more convenient. The platform 10 is set at or below the level ofthe said axle, depending on the diameter of the wheel. The handle,

v.which is preferably of wood, is secured rigidly by being stepped on the said bow,

braced on the platform by a strut 20'and braced forward by a reversely upturned continuation of the bow 18.v The said bow, as illustrated, is a strip of sheet metal formedv with a flanged -or U-shaped `cross section.

The flanges afford the necessary stiffness;

so'that in the preferred form thisis made yof a single piece of metal, with the flanged part curving around the steering wheel; 'with `a rear extension on `which the forward 'end of the platforml l0 rests and is supportedgand with a reversely bent forward partjalfording two supports'for the spindle 15 of the fork of the steering wheel, at :well -V separated points; and with `a continuation strap rising vertically above that along the front face of the handle.V The connections tothe handle and to the platform may be bysimple bolts, if the .handle be of wood,

as illustrated. Joints may be welded if the steeringpost isrmetallic. The spindle may have ja ball bearing 21 arranged as a com' vfbinedthrustand radial bearing, on which thefbow restsjwhile permitting the spindle j and fork 'to turn easily; @The weightvof'the load passes through this to the fork and axle@v .v 'l v v 'The platform as a whole is thus held as close tothe ground as may .be desired... la.

the form illustrated the platform is l1ori-V Zontal and at the levelof theaxlesof the wheels. This construction permits thevuse of wheels six inches in diameter, more or less, large enough to give easy running, to'

which rubber tires 22 may. be yfitted and with which considerable' speed Ymay be attained quietly, while the depressing. ofgthefplatf form to near the ground level makes the wholeiapparatus easy to keep in equilibrium,` as contrasted -with the diiiiculty of balancing f thezvweight ofthe-rider ata level above the. tops of thewheels. I ind that in practice siX inch wheels and a ,three yinch elevation for the platform Work satisfactorily, but the platform can be put lower or higher. Either i end loflit can be put lower than :the other iff desired;`

Extending .rearwardly from, thecrotch Iof the fork 14 is an arm 23-to which iis attached a spiral.,spriirglu passing through a snpporting ring` 25 to a `fastening oranchorage- 26 1on` the rigidccurved Ebow.` `Said supporting ring is loosely; pivoted on the bow 18 and thesaid:anchorage islocated behind -it on the bow. 1S, on the central fore-and-aft line of the vehicle;r This spring, tending always to pull the arm 23 back into the fore-and-aftline, hasl the' effect of 'restoring-the wheel promptly and automatically-toa direction. straight ahead whenever the 4platform 10 :is swung into a level from a tipped position.

In operation, whenever the car is in motion with a load on the platform l0, and the. platform 10 `is tipped toward either side, the steering wheel automatically turns so that it will'l run toward that side,A thus steering the car. This is because the spindle' 15, which is the forwardpoint of suspen sion of the platform, is forward of the point where the tire of the lwheel makes contact with the ground, which is herein for brevity called the tread. INhenever the apparatus is upright the downward pull of gravity is inthe `vertical` plane passing through the treads'ofthe two wheels and is perpendicular to the/plane in which the spindle moves, if swung to the right or left about the-tread, as would happen if itvwere turnedmanually v to steer.- /ih'e'never the platform is tipped sidewise, so that' its rigidly 'connected bowy 18 Vis swung laterally in anarc around the-` horizontal -line passing throughfboth treads, therforce` of 'grav-ity no longer acts in the i plane passing throughfthe spindle and-the treads of the two wheels, and no -lo'nger is perpendicular to the planev in which. thea spindle would iinove if-n swung-about the. tread. ,The spindle Ycan vget Vlowervby swinging farther in the direction in which the tipping occurredfY Impelled-by the weight on the platform,- it does so. The front end ofthe bow 18 necessarily lmoves with it, swing-rA ingabout the tread ofv the rear wheel-5 and going a littleffartherdown -fromhitsforiginal 11 vertical plane than the point to which it was movedA by theinitialvlateral tipping of the platform. ThisA further movement causes the fork of the steering wheel to turn about the tread of that wheel, which is in engagement with the ground at a little distance be- ,n hind the spindle; and this steersv the car. i Orfcoursecentrifugal force introduces a complication, but a full analysis of resultant and component forcesisnotnecessary toan75 understanding ofgthelfact-that a car con.- structed 'as described. -can be steerednfby merely tipping it while;moving.;I Fromfthe..` it'oregoingitiwi-ll also be clearvthatthecon@l structionillustrated,;in;;ivhich :the spindle is v80 more than :twice asihighfy above ethe Aground as.v is the topi,` of fthe,-pl atform,hasf consequentlyymore than twiceVi as mulchA lateral i i move-ment.- In other words,.a desired extent of turning of the steeringwheel is attained g5 with lessthan yhalf :asE muchv movement of they pl-atforni iasnwouldfbe required! if the. platform were onathe level.; of the spindle,` orabove it.ff Thisimakesgthe carfmore Ysteady,r and lesscrank-yr than ifthevplatform were at theihigher level. y It: also `permitsthe user to tip the 'handle' considerably to either` side, tipping;v the platform a proportionally of course, but u Without Atipping the` platform. an'` l actual .distance great enough to ydisturbahis 9,5 balance dangerously.

r'Ihe turning of thesteering wheel is y al ways, resistedby the spring 24.*- This resist-.-E anceV is negligible when the vplatform is tipped.v because. the'fweight of the useris al-. 100 ways suificientY to overcome it to any dege desired-gbut when the car is restored vto its level position thespring acts and bringszthesteering wheel back `promptly to its straightk ahead position. f

As the arm 23 may Ahave various lengths. according to whatever ispreferred or found most suitable, and-as the spring 24'1nay be Y of any suitable strength, it` is lseen thatwapowerful and quick acting; meansis provided :l1 10 for rendering the car subject to easy control by the usertvvith a minimum. ofdangerf,sand with a minimum ofipre-requisite: skilL" As:

a matter .of fact thenarm need! n'otlbeV very long, and the spring n'eed not be Very stiff iii-1115 order to give a suticientquicknesslof action or control. Thesupportingfeye i'sipreferably! a mere eye'bolthaving. itsfbolt loosely held in thebow 18l sorthat itcan .turn freelyfL y or it may be a strip of steelfastened'to: fthe Ll2() Y responding to the tipping of the car. The

ftongue-'and-ggroove connection firmly held engagement by they bolts. The vhandle `is prevented, from rising by the strut 20, which serves as atie as well as a strut and is connected tothe upper bolt. The lower part of low ythe-` rear, and inclined upward, and

jbecojming somewhat broader toward the thefhandlefisfurther held firm by its attachment .to the forwardl extension of the bow which isbent reversely and upwardly and` hasboth a higliand aflow bolt; The revverselybent portion of, thisfeiitension en? gages tlietopof the VSipidvl'e IThe 'elfi-l; tremity of thelinainfpart of the bow -engages, the .bottom of ythat spindle, l and is flat funderneath,,sittingsquare upon ILG Part ,of the combined Vradial `and* thrust ball Lbearing,

mounted" onv said l spindle. Q Under Vthese cir- 1 cuinst'ances the spindle is lirrnly` held, al-L though V but-little metal is' used; a'nd' th e l whole piece, comprisinglthebowand itseX'i-Q thrown O by centrifu al force. Although the, Vplatform- ,1 0 is s own as horizontal, from front to rear,`it may "without disadvantage be inclined upward alittle from the reai-fto the front, the aXle of the rear wheel beingjournaled above the end yof the platform, Subject to the qualification that the platform must not be solowl as to'st'rilre the groundl whentipped on a curve, the platl form `may be placed as low as desired. One form I having some advantages' consists 1n making theI platform relatively narrow and front'. 'This' low elevation `makes it ,very

safebecause the person 'can easily step from 1t incase ofdanger. The stepping from anv upwardly i/ nclined platform .close to the4 i' 'ground is more Veasily. accomplished,- without"A i" Y thepelrson being thrown down', than instepping yfrom a horiziontal'jplatform or" one -i'n'- clined' downward and forwardly.v

. The invention isnot limited to the pref' cise constructionshown; and'it is the object of the` 'Letters Patentto protect by suitable expression inthe appended Lclaims 'whatever rlfeatures ofpatentable novelty pertaining to' the platform,l can be made bybending from a single .pieceof sheet r'neta'l.` If the plat-v form be ,made voi metalit may be f' integral'- witli theI bow'. The cross bar `17 may befasf tened on ltheupright 16 inlany suitable way, or maybeomitted-- i f T n operation the person vusing the coaster sets it Yin motiongbyplacingf one lfoot upon themplatform and pushing withthe other onf thefioor or sidewalk.- f When yitjs infnrnotionA the apparatus tends lto maintain itself inl equilibrium and vin v a straight zforward direactionso long as the platformf 10 is hori-jY zontal laterally, but the car can be steered to theright orleft bytip'ping the car to the right or left." The handlejfll maybe and isimmobile with respect tothe body of :i the car, so lthat the person using it needs no thought, inturning the steeringwheel the proper degree and at the proper time, but., that steering wheel automatically turns toy the proper degree, and restores itself, cortipping is controlled either by the users feet or hands. The most convenient method, and for most uses the most satisfactory, is to controll by means of the handle 16, which also serves for steadying the person on the car, and for steadying the car; but one who is expert may coast and steer without touching the handle, merely standing on the plat form and doing the balancing by tipping the platform to one side or the other with his foot. The inclination for steering the car around a curve is in the same direction as that to which the 'person riding thereonV instinctively tends in order to avoid being I claim i as my invention 1. 4A Ycoaster hav] g in combinationa single pair voftandem wheels;v a 'platform' sup'-l portedthereby; and a fork, from the -aXle of the forwardA wheel, having a pivotal con-l nection Vwithjthe Vplatforr'n aty a -point -above said wheel and forward of its point of treadV contact, l'the whole arranged and ingithe rider arranged between ythe wheels and below the level of the top of said for ward Awheel, and having ahandle secured the"pl'atforin whereby the ridermay 'control v f I 41.1032 27A- casterro'mprising in'combin'ation the a single pair of tandem wheels and a platform atfa level below the top ofy the forward Awheel," the whole being adapted to tip toward either side about the wheel treads; a

Pfork'on the axle of the forward wheel having pivotal connection to the platform above said wheel and forward of its point of tread contact; an arm over the wheel extending backward rigidly from the fork and swinging with the wheel; an extensible spring joining said arm to a part that is rigid with said platform, below the level of the crest I of the wheel; and means on the platform holding the intermediate portions of the spring clear of the wheel, the fore part 'rigidlyand non-rotatably' with respect/'to Y and the aft part of the spring making an angle with each other at said supporting means.

`3, A coaster having 1n combination a platextending upward from a place thereon aty platform, tandem wheels, a fork mounting form, tandem wheels, fork mounting the axle. of vthe Vforward wheel, with Spindle and bearing supporting the platform abovel and forward ofthe point of tread contact, part,

of the platform being a rigid metallic strip reaching from below over the top of the wheel to said bearing, and a rigid handle the rear of said bearing. l v

4. .A coaster having 1n combinationv ya the axle of the forward wheel, with spindle and bearing supporting the platformV above said wheel and forward of its point of tread contact, whereby the Vcoaster is steered by beingtipped; said platform having a sur face .for supporting the rider arranged b elow the level of said bearing land a metallic strip `extending upward and forward over themwheel toy and forward of said bearin'gL thence `upward and ,then backward affording. another bearing for said spindleI somewhat l remote from the. first, and thence upward as a rigid .support forsaid handle. n

5. 'A coaster having in combination a platform, tandem` wheels, a fork mountingvthe axle vof .the forward wheehwith spindle and extending upward from a place thereon at the rear of said bearing, the .said `strip pass- .ing VOverathe wheel beingof flanged sheet ,metallic piece extending under the hori- Y zontal part, over the wheel under the hanmetal, and the handle being stepped thereon between andv heldby the flanges.

6.@ A coaster having incombination a plat-y form,` tandem Vwheels, ,a fork mounting rtheV axleof the l forward wheel, with spindle, and

bearing `supporting the platform aboveand forward-,ofthev point oftread Contact, part of the platformbeing a rigid metallic strip reachinggpfrom belowx menthe-top of the jwheel to said bearing, anda rigid handle extending upward from ,a place ,thereon atl rider, resting onthelrear of said metallic,

strip, and said strip having flanges extend-1 ingvupward into grooves inl said wood and extendingpalong the part that is ,over the wheel` back of the, bearing.

7. A coaster having in combination a platform, tandem wheels, a fork mounting the axle ofthe forward wheel, with spindle and bearing supporting ythe platform above said wheel and forward of its point of tread contact, whereby the coaster is steered by being tipped; Said platform having a surface for supporting the rider arrangedl below the level of said bearing, and a metallic strip extending-.upward land forward over the wheel to and forward of said bearing, thence upward and then. .backward alfording anfether bearing forsaid spindle somewhat re moteifrom tharst, and thence upward asa rigid support for' said handle; a strut back'A of the'handle reaching.- Afrom theflow rear. to the raised forward part.y of the said strip and means clamping it andthe handle rigidly together at its forward end, and it and the' Vstrip and the low part of the platform rigidlytogetherlatits rear end. v

8. A coasterl having Ainl combination. a platform providedrwith an approximately horizontal partl to support the rider, tandem Vwheeler a fork mounting lthe axle of the forward wheel, with spindle and bearingsupporting the platform aboye and .forward of the, point of tread contact; there being a dleand forward of the handle; another metallicV piece over the horizontal, part, over the wheel and back 0f the lhandle; and means clamping the horizontalpart rigidly between the rearends orf-these piecesand'the handle rigidly between their forward ends. Signed by me at Boston, Mass., this29th dayof November,.1916. .Y 10H-ARLES H. ,JOII-NSON GcpieapLthia patentifinay lie obtanedmfor veeentsleachgby addressingwthe Commiaioner of Patente.

Washington, D. CJ y 

